FUE Hair Transplant

There are thousands of reasons FUE is right for you. And they’re all on your head.

What is an FUE hair transplant?

FUE stands for Follicular Unit Extraction. An FUE hair transplant is a modern, minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that is virtually painless and leaves no linear scar. The hair follicles are removed from the donor site (usually the back or sides of the head), then transplanted hair-by-hair to the thinning or bald area. The procedure usually takes one day, and the result is 100% natural, permanent and undetectable. West+Bond’s Medical Director, Dr. James Harris, is the inventor of patented FUE technology and recognized around the globe as a pioneer of the FUE technique. Read about our proprietary Harris Protocol that is transforming the industry, ask Dr. Harris a question, or contact us to begin your transformation.

What is a follicular unit?

Hair naturally grows in small bundles of one to five hairs. These bundles, along with their support system of glands, muscle and connective tissue form a “follicular unit.” A follicular unit extraction hair restoration procedure transplants entire follicular units from the back and sides of your head to the areas of hair loss in the front, top and crown of the scalp. Part of the secret to a natural-looking hair transplant is to create a natural distribution of different-sized follicular units.

Smarter technology. Less scarring.

In an FUE procedure, a tiny needle removes the entire follicular unit as a single graft. The grafts are so small that each one is smaller than a grain of rice. FUE is the definition of a minimally-invasive procedure. It preserves the natural architecture of follicular units. Since it uses a needle instead of a knife to remove the follicular units, the donor site heals quickly and comfortably, and allows you to wear your hair in any style. No strip of skin is removed. No long ear-to-ear scars. No worries that somebody may see a hair transplant scar when the light hits your scalp just right, or when you wake up, shower or swim. Where the follicles have been extracted any scarred tissue is so tiny as to be effectively invisible, even with hair as short as 1/4 of an inch. And since FUE removes less skin than strip harvest for the same number of grafts, it also heals more quickly with less pain and discomfort. No linear scar. No stigma. No embarrassment. No kidding.

Full disclosure.

Although FUE hair restoration avoids a linear scar across the back of the head, it may leave tiny white round scars from the donor site where the hair is harvested. These are obscured by the surrounding hair on the back of the head, and are invisible unless the head is shaved. If you are considering shaving your head at any point, a hair transplant, of any kind, is likely not in your best interest. But then again, if you look good with a shaved head or like the way it feels, you probably aren’t reading this anyway. If you are skeptical of pictures in the era of PhotoShop see these before and after photos from actual West+Bond clients. Or better still, come into the clinic and see what it looks like up close. Visit the clinic and we will show you what it looks like on some of our founders or former patients. Prepare to be amazed.

FUE and ARTAS ®

At West+Bond we utilize the state-of-the-art ARTAS™ robotic system to perform FUE hair restoration. Dissection parameters are entered into the image-based system, and using a computer and sophisticated algorithms, the ARTAS™ robot performs graft dissections with physician supervision, utilizing the proprietary needle punch system invented by Dr. James Harris. Because of a number of variables are constantly changing across your scalp (including scalp thickness, skin tension, elasticity, turgor, hair direction, follicular unit size and quality), our skilled West+Bond surgeons Dr. Manu Gujrati and Dr. James Harris constantly make adjustments during the procedure to optimize the performance and clinical results of this remarkable surgical tool. The result is precise, minimally-invasive, and engineered to maximize graft yield and minimize recovery time.

Let’s talk density and fullness.

As we work to help you grow a more full and vibrant head of hair, it helps to understand what factors are playing a role in your hairline. Density (the number of hairs per square centimeter) is only one of several contributing factors that contribute to your hairline’s appearance. Other contributors include hair shaft diameter, color, texture and curl—and, in fact, these factors may be of equal or even greater importance than density in achieving a “full” head of hair.

For example, in the early stages of balding, the “thin look” is caused by a process called miniaturization, whereby hair caliber is reduced in size but the hair is not actually lost. Therefore, the density (the counted number of hairs per square-centimeter) remains the same, although the person’s look of fullness can be dramatically reduced. Eventually, individual hairs disappear, and in multi-hair follicular units, one hair in the group miniaturizes enough that it disappears. In this process, an F3 (a follicular unit with 3 hairs) becomes and F2, and then eventually an F1, and then the entire follicular unit disappears. This also results in a noticeable loss of visual density to the point that you can eventually see bare scalp farther and farther back through the frontal hairline. The goal of the initial surgery is to re-establish that lost visual density. It is also why we will usually suggest the use of certain pharmaceuticals to preserve the existing hair and prevent further loss.

How you style your hair also plays an important role in your end results. Read about our unique Complete Care services that incorporates top stylists. >

FUE hair transplant FAQs

Can hair from other areas of the body be transplanted on the head?

Yes, but this is usually only done when a patient has exhausted the scalp donor supply. Hair from other regions of the body will grow when placed on the head, but it will grow at a different rate and with a different texture.

Can you control the direction in which the transplants will grow?

Yes. Your West+Bond physician will carefully select where and how to place each transplanted follicular unit. Recipient sites will be chosen to maximize the natural look of the final outcome. The direction and angles will follow the pattern of hair native to that region.

How do I know if I’m a good candidate for FUE hair transplant surgery?

Most men and women in good general health are candidates for hair transplantation. Your personal situation is best determined through a personal, free consultation. In general, anyone experiencing the following conditions may be considered an excellent candidate for FUE hair transplant:

Male pattern baldness

Female pattern baldness

Missing or thinning eyebrows

Missing or thinning facial hair

High hairlines

Correcting/hiding scars from cosmetic or invasive surgery

Hiding acne or other scars

If you are considering an FUE hair transplant, consider that the entire West+Bond team— physicians and staff—follow the Harris Protocol, an approach to hair transplantation developed and codified by Dr. James Harris of West+Bond and the Hair Sciences Center of Colorado. This quality control system and performance protocol ensures only the highest caliber outcomes from a medical, scientific, artistic and stylistic perspective.